Update: Heart attack not cause of rollover of van carrying prisoners

April 17, 2014 at 8:02 a.m.Updated April 16, 2014 at 11:17 p.m.

A Texas Department of Criminal Justice van carrying three prisoners rolled over on U.S. Highway 59 in El Campo early Thursday morning.

Two of the prisoners along with two sergeants were sent to an El Campo hospital. One prisoner was flown by helicopter to Memorial Herman Hospital in Houston. Their injuries are not considered to be life-threatening, said TDCJ spokesman Robert Hurst.

He declined Thursday afternoon to release the names of the van occupants as their family was still being notified of the crash.

Although preliminary investigation indicated that the sergeant who was driving the van may have suffered a heart attack, doctors at the hospital where he was being treated determined that was not true, Hurst said.

The van was traveling from the Connally Unit in Kenedy to the Jester IV Unit in Richmond for a routine transfer, Hurst said.

Officers with the El Campo Police Department began investigating the crash at 7 a.m. The crash temporarily shut down northbound lanes of the highway, a spokesperson with the department said at about 8:30 a.m. Thursday.

Department of Public Safety troopers from the Pierce office helped divert traffic. The crash occurred near County Road 404 in front of Mikeska’s BBQ, a Department of Public Safety spokeswoman said.

We’ll post an update when we have more information.

If you have photos of the scene, please email them to share@VictoriaAdvocate.net. If you have information or questions for reporter Jessica Priest, please call the newsroom at 361-574-1222.